Adaku Utah
Adaku Utah | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1983 or 1984 (age 42–43)[1] Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
| Citizenship | Nigeria, United States |
| Occupations | Healer, artist, activist |
| Known for | Healing justice, social change, Harriet's Apothecary |
| Awards | Jessica Eve Patt Award (2012) |
| Website | adakuutah |
Adaku Utah (// ⓘ) is a Nigerian-American Igbo traditional healer, speaker, writer, and artist. Her work centers on gender, reproductive justice, racial equity, youth empowerment, and healing justice movements for social change.[2] She is the cofounder of Harriet's Apothecary, an alternative healing collective led by Black women and queer healers.[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Utah was born in Baltimore, Maryland, US but was raised in Festac Town, Lagos, Nigeria. Her father is from Abia State and her mother from Imo State.[2] She descends from a lineage of herbalists and farmers who practiced traditional healing. As a child, she experienced chronic illness and found greater relief through herbal medicine than conventional treatments.[1] Utah earned a BSc in Biotechnology and Psychology from Pennsylvania State University.[3]
Career
[edit]Utah is the Senior Manager of Movement Building Programs at the Building Movement Project, where she supports national convenings and leadership development for social justice organizations.[2] She has worked with groups including the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health, Black Lives Matter, Black LGBTQI+ Migrant Project, The Movement for Black Lives, Yale University, Planned Parenthood, Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, Black Women's Blueprint, and the Audre Lorde Project.[2]
She is also a host and contributor to the Anti-Eugenics Project, which explores the legacy of eugenics and its impact on marginalized communities.[4]
As a performance artist, Utah has collaborated with Decadancetheatre,[5] and founded Soular Bliss, a creative wellness initiative.[6] Utah is queer[2] and resides in Brooklyn, New York.[7]
She contributed to the anthology Healing Justice Lineages: Dreaming at the Crossroads of Liberation, Collective Care, and Safety, edited by Cara Page and Erica Woodland, alongside Prentis Hemphill.[8]
Recognition
[edit]Utah has been recognised for her contributions with several awards:[2]
- 2012 Sexuality Leadership Development Fellowship from the Africa Regional Sexuality Resource Centre
- 2012 Center for Whole Communities Whole Thinking Fellowship
- Jessica Eve Patt Award from the Chicago Foundation for Women (2012)
- Featured nominee for Girl Tank and MTV Voices' "10,000 Names in 100 Days"
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Barber, Lauren (26 July 2017). "Harriet's Squad: Black Women Using Ancient Healing Methods as Resistance". ELLE. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Adaku Utah – Keynote Bio". YWCA Madison Racial Justice Summit. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
- ↑ "Sexuality Leadership Development Fellowship". www.arsrc.org. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ↑ "Host: Adaku Utah". Anti-Eugenics Project. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
- ↑ Boynton, Andrew. "A Dance Like Keith Haring Come to Life". The New Yorker. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
- ↑ "Adaku Utah". The Gemini Series. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
- ↑ "Adaku Utah". A Blade of Grass. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ↑ Page, Cara; Woodland, Erica, eds. (2023). Healing Justice Lineages: Dreaming at the Crossroads of Liberation, Collective Care, and Safety. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books. Retrieved 20 October 2025.